The tide does turn for the good. Only sometimes, it takes 29 long years to happen! There was a time when, for more than a decade, the WNBA was in the shadows of the NBA. For much of its 29-year-old existence, the league managed around $10-50 million in annual revenues! But all of that changed in the last few years. With the likes of Caitlin Clark coming in, people like Chris Brickley wholeheartedly praised her impact on the game.
In the last few years, the WNBA has seen unprecedented growth in the sports circuit. More and more investors and financiers have shown their interest in getting associated with women’s sports. And now, in what will be a major boost for the WNBA, ESPN has decided to stop its iconic show to make room for the shining women in sports.
ESPN Shifts Spotlight To The WNBA After Scrapping Sunday Night Baseball
The WNBA just got some Sunday night exposure! Despite analysts’ warnings about the potential risks of the CBA stalemate, the league seems to be getting some big attention. In a recent announcement, ESPN revealed that it has moved its premium product, “Sunday Night Baseball,” to NBC. This marks the end of a 35-year-old chapter, which started way back in 1979.
And replacing the show will be ‘Women’s Sports Sundays.’ The entrants for the same, as briefed by ESPN, will be WNBA and NWSL.
Reflecting on the new journey, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming and acquisition, Rosalyn Durant, said, “Women’s sports are experiencing continued momentum, and ‘Women’s Sports Sundays’ is ESPN’s next step in meeting that demand.”
BREAKING🚨: ESPN is ditching the iconic, 35-year-old Sunday Night Baseball — a staple for MLB fans — to make room for 'Women's Sports Sundays,' where they'll air select WNBA and NWSL games instead. Because apparently nothing says 'must-watch primetime' like swapping out America's… pic.twitter.com/H7TwPYzCX2
— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) February 19, 2026
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
Durant further added, “This franchise is about more than showcasing games — it’s about building a consistent, high-profile destination that reflects the passion, excellence and cultural impact of women’s sports today, while giving athletes and leagues the stage they deserve.”
As per the reports, the segment is expected to run over nine weeks. It will also cover a total of 12 live games with regular studio segments. Now then, this decision was not taken hastily. Looking at the numbers, the WNBA seems to be getting right up there in terms of popularity. While Sunday Night Baseball averaged 1.72 million viewers in 2025, the WNBA finals garnered a whopping 1.5 million viewers last year.
Meanwhile, this was not the only time the WNBA got a major boost. The league recently toppled UFC in a recent win.
WNBA Caravan Rolls On As Record Growth Dwarfs UFC
At the moment, the women’s basketball realm is looking pretty cloudy. With the WNBPA in constant quarrels with the league, there have been occasions when the league has seen good days.
The 2025 WNBA Regular Season was the most watched on ESPN networks ever with an average of 1.3 million viewers across 25 games, up 6% from last season. pic.twitter.com/X9ZZm6U7ZZ
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 12, 2025
For example, in a recent report, WNBA’s online searches saw a 140% growth in 2025. Surprisingly, such a number outperformed even the UFC, which took fifth position in the list. Moreover, WNBA’s growth was also much greater than popular leagues like the SailGP (+84%), FIA World Endurance Championship (+108%), and Ultimate Tennis Showdown (+106%).
Surely, all the indications are there for the WNBA to become a sporting giant in the future. But first and foremost, they must focus on sorting out their players’ equal pay demands.